A late one, but we’re done. It was worth the wait, too. Mark Hubbard and Maverick McNealy made birdies at 18 to move to -6 and -5 respectively. Xander Schauffele heads into Friday with a three shot – an exact repeat of last Thursday in the Wells Fargo Championship. He didn’t hang on then – what will happen this week?! We’ll see and Scott will be back with you for the early action tomorrow.

-9: Schauffele (F)
-6: Finau (F), Theegala (F), Hubbard (F),
-5: McIlroy (F), MacIntyre (F), Hoge (F), T. Kim (F), Detry (F), Morikawa (F), McNealy (F)
-4: Kohles (F), Koepka (F), Moore (F), Noren (F), Eckroat (F), Scheffler (F)

Here’s Ewan Murray on Xander Schauffele’s rapid start to the championship and Rory McIlroy’s response.

All very straightforward from Scottie Scheffler after his round. “There’s nothing I can do - Xander went out and played a great round this morning,” he said. “I’m not really going to worry about trying to shoot 9-under. I’m just going to go out and try to hit good shots and play my own game.”

Mark Hubbard doesn’t miss his chance, draining the short birdie putt at 17. He’s now got another par-breaking opportunity at the par-five 18th.

-9: Schauffele (F)
-6: Finau (F), Theegala (F)
-5: McIlroy (F), MacIntyre (F), Hoge (F), T. Kim (F), Detry (F), Morikawa (F), Hubbard (17)
-4: Kohles (F), Koepka (F), Moore (F), Noren (F), Eckroat (F), Scheffler (F), McNealy (17)

Mark Hubbard can still disturb the top end of the leaderboard. The American has hit his approach at 17 to four feet for birdie and -5 for the round.

After his first round Thomas Detry discussed likely conditions tomorrow. “It’s going to play completely different,” he said. “I think the temperature may cool down a little bit. Bit of rain maybe in the morning. But looks like it’s going to rain in the afternoon as well, so maybe the rough might be a little bit heavy and juicier.” He added: “I’m looking forward to playing in the morning. The greens will be slightly nicer I think. There were a couple of spike marks this afternoon.”

It’s a very small sample. But, for what it’s worth (there have been only three of them), to win the PGA Championship at Valhalla has required a fast start. All three previous winners there broke 69 in round one (Mark Brooks in 1996 had a 68, Tiger Woods in 2000 and Rory McIlroy 14 years later opened with 66s) and all three also ended every round at tied fourth (or higher). If that run continues the winner is currently -5 or better.

Can Scottie Scheffler end his round as he opened it? In short, no. His approach to the par-five 18th was a bit messy, plummeting into the rough short of the green. He’s chopped the pitch up onto the putting surface and has just over 13 feet for a closing birdie … but it was squiffy right off the putter face. Still, a very solid tournament opening 67.

The sheer bloody-mindedness of Jon Rahm has been a significant sub-plot of this evening. He scratched four bogeys on his card before the 7th hole. Since then, however, he’s added just one more while circling five birdies and now, on 18, he’s got 4 feet for another and a -1 total of 70. He makes it! Scrappy, often ugly, but full of determination.

Tom Kim wasn’t intimidated by the morning starters, and one in particular, going low. Anything but, in fact. “Well, when you see 9-under in a major championship, you know it’s out there,” he said after his round. “You know it’s definitely gettable. Obviously Xander played really, really well to shoot 9-under but you go, okay, I guess it’s playing pretty gettable and there’s going to be a lot of opportunities out there.”

Collin Morikawa completes a 66. He finds the green at 18 in two and eyes an eagle but his 22 foot putt just slips by the hole. He joins the growing group on -5 which also now includes Thomas Detry who makes a closing par at 9.

-9: Schauffele (F)
-6: Finau (F), Theegala (F)
-5: McIlroy (F), MacIntyre (F), Hoge (F), T. Kim (F), Detry (F), Morikawa (F)

Another disappointing major championship effort from Joaquin Niemann. The Chilean has recorded 12 top 10 finishes in his last 15 starts around the world, including three wins. But this is his 21st major and unlikely to be his first top 10 finish after he carded a 73.

Tom Kim tidies up his par at 18 to complete a 66 and make it a four-way clubhouse share of fourth on -5. It’s the first time he’s gone sub-70 in three PGA Championship starts and you’d hope he improves his previous second round efforts. They read: 77-76-75. Fingers crossed for something better than a 74.

Patrick Cantlay is playing like major championship Patrick Cantlay today. i.e. he’s not contending on level par. He has only four top 10s in 28 starts in the career-defining tournaments which is very underwhelming for a golfer as good as he is. Meantime, par at 16 keeps Scottie Scheffler at -4.

Are you doubting the Thomases? Maybe not tonight. Thomas Detry makes a birdie at the par-five 7th to get back to -5 while Tom Kim finds the middle of the par-five 18th fairway. He has a fairway wood in hand for his approach … and he didn’t catch all of it but he’s in the front greenside bunker. He needs to get up-and-down to hit -6.

Swede Alex Noren is in great form - and is maintaining it at Valhalla. He hasn’t missed a cut since July, has a trio of PGA Tour top three finishes since October and arrived in Louisville off seven straight top 25s. He’s swapped seven birdies and three bogeys in a 67. Tom Hoge has joined Rory McIlroy and Bob MacIntyre in the clubhouse on -5 with a 67 that included eight birdies.

-9: Schauffele (F)
-6: Finau (F), Theegala (F)
-5: McIlroy (F), MacIntyre (F), Hoge (F), T. Kim (17)

When World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler drained his second shot of the day for an eagle you might have been forgiven for thinking he might even be able to walk on water. Cam Smith can.

Three-putt from Scottie Scheffler. He’d apparently done the difficult part on the very long par-three 14th by hitting the heart of the green. But he then took another three shots to find the bottom of the cup from 29 feet. He’s back to -3.

Maverick McNealy makes a birdie at the par-five 10th, getting up and down from the back of the green to reach -2. At least he went for it. He ranks 94th for Going for Green this season on the PGA Tour which is pretty much his career average. So much for any kind of golfing nominative determinism.

Scheffler makes birdie at 14 to return to -4. Meanwhile, back-to-back birdies for Jon Rahm at 13 and 14. He’s still only +1 but has dug deep after that horror start.

-9: Schauffele (F)
-6: Finau (F), Theegala (F)
-5: McIlroy (F), MacIntyre (F)

Five minutes of pure Phil Mickelson. He drains a 34 foot birdie putt at the 14th to get to -1 and then sprays his tee shot at 15 into the trees. He’s made just three top 10 finishes in the last four years on the PGA Tour: second in a WGC event in 2020, winning this event in 2021, second in last year’s Masters. Not a bad trio.

Collin Morikawa has caught fire. He’s drained five birdie putts in his last eight holes, the final three from 41 feet, 20 feet and 18 feet. He’s now on the brutally long par-three 14th … and knocked his approach to 10 feet.

A smile from Jon Rahm. But it’s a wry-ish one. His approach at the short par-four 13th spins back towards the hole and brushes the edge. He’ll have a short putt to get to +2.

Tom Kim (-5) has a sneaky good major championship record. Last year he was 16th in the Masters, 8th in the US Open and 2nd at the Open.

Damon emails: “Who was the worst ever PGA Championship winner?” A reference, perhaps, to the days when the event had a reputation for throwing up unlikely champions. 2003 winner Shaun Micheel would gain many people’s X in a vote no-one wants to win*. The triumph was, in fact, his only win on the PGA Tour. He did win it, though, and he did so with an approach to the final green of stunning quality.

* Actually, I’d quite like to be ranked the worst ever PGA champion.

After a shaky start Collin Morikawa has revived his hopes. The 2020 champion dropped shots at 2 and 5, bounced back with a hat trick of birdies at 6, 7 and 8, and now he adds another par breaker at 12 to reach -2. Meanwhile, Tom Kim plays a beauty to the short par-four 13th. He has a short putt to reach -5.

The putts have started dropping again. From 55 feet for birdie at the par-three 14th for Denmark’s Nicolai Hojgaard (-2) and then from 11 feet for birdie at the par-four 12th for Korea’s Tom Kim (-4). But Scheffler misses the short chance to join Kim. He stays on -3.

Scottie Scheffler update. Having made the turn in -3 he missed the green in two at the par-five 10th. His chip down a slippery putting surface has left him about 6 feet for birdie

-9: Schauffele (F)
-6: Finau (F), Theegala (F)
-5: McIlroy (F), MacIntyre (F), Detry (12)

Has Xander Schauffele already taken most of the field out of the running? Statistician Justin Ray has written on X: “33 of the last 34 PGA Championship winners have been within 6 of the lead after round 1.” What about the three winners at Valhalla? They were all within two shots of the first round lead (but Bob May, who lost a play-off to Tiger Woods in 2000, was six back).

Matt Fitzpatrick is not alone in having had a wild front nine. Rickie Fowler reached the turn in +1 with a double bogey, three bogeys and four birdies. He was third at Valhalla in 2014 and said afterwards: “That stings because I really felt like I could win this one.” He also threatened to win last summer’s US Open – and did win the Rocket Mortage Classic soon afterwards.

Never mind Xander Schauffele or Scottie Scheffler, Simon McMahon is impressed by tonight’s pub quiz triumph (21.36). He emails: “Congratulations to Chelsea and Steve on their quiz night winnings. That’s a Diet Coke each, or two-thirds of a glass of wine to share. Happy days indeed. Mind you, it’s not the winning that’s important, it’s the taking part. Just ask Jean Van de Velde Doug Sanders Maurice Flitcroft.”

Belgium’s Thomas Detry is on a charge. He’s -4 through 10 and, in effect, leading the afternoon wave. He has 12 top three finishes on the main tours without finding a win and is quite the cosmopolitan: born in Belgium, college in the States, once had a base in Cornwall and now resides in Dubai.

Talking of Englishman, what of Justin Rose? Nathan emails: “11 years on from his only major victory, how are Rose’s chances looking after that first round? Always seemed there or thereabouts in the majors (top 3 finishes in all the majors he hasn’t won!) and would be lovely to see him get one more.” Good news, Nathan. Rose shot a 1-under 70 in the morning wave. He’s actually finished top 30 in 10 of his last 12 tournament starts with five top 10s (including three since 2020). The bad news? He has only one top 30 anywhere since August last year.

A level par front nine of 35 for England’s Matt Fitzpatrick. But that number doesn’t remotely tell the story of his journey to the turn. He made a double bogey at 2, bogey at 4, eagle at 7 and birdie at 9. The big error came when he needed four shots from the greenside bunker on the 2nd, he then made up for it by draining a 19 foot putt on the 598 yard 7th.

Scottie Scheffler rights the ship. A simple birdie at the par-five 7th sees him return to -3. He joins Aaron Rai on that number. Since we mentioned him 45 minutes ago he’s added birdies at 2 and 4, riding those Woosie-at-Valhalla vibes.

Sky Sports commentators just remind us that Taiwan’s CT Pan (-3 through 5) will soon be defending his bronze medal at the Olympics in Paris. But readers Chelsea Selkirk and Steve Bailey are already celebrating third place – in tonight’s pub quiz at Cameron House, a golf resort on Loch Lomond. They’re Scottie Scheffler fans and they won a £10 credit. A bit more on the line for the field this week. But who’s more excited?!?!?

A birdie for Jon Rahm at the par-five 7th. Just the 12 back of the lead now. He did open his Masters victory last year with a four-putt bogey 6 but surely this is too steep a hill even for him? He’s +3.

Beware the injured golfer. Back in 2019 Tony Finau dislocated his ankle in the Masters Par-3 tournament but played the main event after popping it back himself. His playing partner today, Sahith Theegala, revealed after the pair opened with 65s: “I slipped a rib on Saturday the week before the Wells Fargo (two weeks ago). I wasn’t sure I was going to play. I immediately called my chiro and got three really painful adjustments to get it back in place and couldn’t really breathe or move all Saturday and Sunday.”

A steady start from Patrick Cantlay (-1 through 5) has just been halted by the 6th. He’s found water from the tee.

Wolverhampton’s Aaron Rai is making a solid start to his first round. The 29-year-old did play a little county golf for Shropshire, as did Ian Woosnam who spent the first 36 holes in the top 10 at the first PGA Championship held at Valhalla in 1996. Rai is currently -1 through 10 holes. Fun fact: he often keeps his game sharp at a golf course near Bridgnorth that was built by Judas Priest lead guitarist KK Downing.

The sixth has not been kind to Jon Rahm. His tee shot found the fairway but he pulled his approach into deep grass and needed two blows to find the putting surfaces. A fourth bogey of the day is the result. He’s +4 and 13 shots behind the leader.

There’s a touch of the 18th hole on the West Course at Wentworth about the 6th at Valhalla. Not so much in the par (the former is a par-five, the latter a par-four). But both require players to hit tee shots short of a valley and then launch a long approach to the green. The restriction on the intial blow means that on both tests the big-hitters have to keep the head-cover on their driver (and probably grit their teeth in the process).

Finally: a threat to Scottie Scheffler’s calm. The World No. 1 finds sand beside the 467 yard par-four 6th green and splashes out to 10 feet. He shuffles in behind the ball and lines it up outside the right edge … but it doesn’t come back to the hole. A first bogey of the day and he falls back to -2.

Jon Rahm has not got off to a good start. Bogeys at the 2nd, the 4th – and now the 5th. “I don’t think my game (has) any sort of issues,” he insisted earlier this week. “I didn’t play good at Augusta, but so far I haven’t missed a top 10 (on LIV this year).”

Steady from Scheffler since the whizz-bang intro. But at the short par-four 4th he gives himself a good look at a birdie from 13 feet. He holes it! He’s -3 through 4 and closing on the leaders.

-9: Schauffele (F)
-6: Finau (F), Theegala (F)
-5: McIlroy (F), MacIntyre (F)
-4: Kohles (F), Koepka (F), Moore (F)

Talking of Dustin Johnson – he could only manage a 73 today. He finished second in this championship in both 2019 and 2020. Since then he has broken 73 just once once in nine event rounds (including today). He also missed the cut at the Masters last month after rounds of 78-79. DJ has lost his rhythm.

A terrifying prospect thrown out there by Luke Donald on Sky Sports. For the field, that is. He remembers how he enjoyed his career-best season after the birth of his first child. “It grounds you,” he argues. The thing is, Scottie Scheffler doesn’t really need grounding. Donald also reveals that Dustin Johnson watched footage of Scheffler’s opening eagle in the locker room and said that golf would soon catch up with the World No. 1.

Here’s that remarkable introduction from Scottie Scheffler. Just glorious.

The key to Bob MacIntyre’s top 20 last week and excellent round of 66 today? The Scot has just said it was home comforts. “It was spending some time back at home in Scotland,” he told the media. “It’s no secret I’ve been living in America. It’s been tough. It’s not like Oban.”

Bryson DeChambeau completed a round of 68. A solid start which sees him tie the likes of Cameron Smith, Max Homa and a revived Viktor Hovland in the clubhouse. A less likely name on that score is Martin Kaymer who is one month shy of a three year top 10 drought. The German won this championship in 2010 and also claimed the 2014 US Open at Pinehurst which is where the year’s third major returns next month. Good timing for any return to form, therefore.

This is getting silly – now Francesco Molinari has holed out from the fairway! He was +1 through 3 but, after finding the bottom of the cup from 92 yards at the short par-four 14th, he’s in the red at -1. It prompts a lovely smile from the popular Italian and more cheers from galleries that can’t believe what they’re seeing. (It’s not all champagne and roses – Open champion Brian Harman has just topped a shot from a fairway bunker).

There’s often talk of a Nappy Factor in golf. It’s the notion that becoming a father has a positive impact on results. You’d have thought such a thing impossible for a man with form figures of 1-1-2-1-1 yet Scheffler’s opening blow comes close.

Here’s the top of the leaderboard as the morning wave tucks into lunch. The leading seven might be wondering how long it will take Scheffler to join them after that extraordinary eagle to start with.

-9: Schauffele (F)
-6: Finau (F), Theegala (F)
-5: McIlroy (F), MacIntyre (F)
-4: Kohles (F), Koepka (F)

Preposterous! What can Scottie Scheffler NOT do? He’s just drained his 167-yard approach to the 1st! “He’s a machine,” says Laura Davies on Sky Sports. Scheffler himself just chuckles away with caddie Ted Scott.

The defending champion Brooks Koepka has signed his first round card. A 67, it currently has him tied sixth. He recently said of majors: “The big thing that separates me is my ability to lock in and go some place I think a lot of guys can’t go.” After his round he said: “I just stayed patient. That’s what majors are all about. You can’t win it today, but you just try to hang around and give yourself a chance or in a good spot come Sunday.”

Bob MacIntyre has completed an opening round of 66 to sit tied third with Rory McIlroy. He was bogey-free as he chases a third major championship top 10. The first two came in the Open in 2019 and 2021.

Jon Rahm hammers his opening tee shot at the 1st to the fairway fringe. The Spaniard hasn’t lifted a trophy since he won the Masters last April and his defence of the green jacket was a poor one. He carded 73-76-72-76 to finish 45th. Many Masters champions struggle to defend so he’ll be hoping to get back on the bike. He’s finished top 10 in half of the 24 majors he has played since the start of 2018.

The 2020 PGA Championship winner Collin Morikawa has opened his 2024 account with a drive to the 1st fairway (just). Valhalla was designed by Jack Nicklaus, and Morikawa has claimed victory on three different Golden Bear-created layouts - Montreux, Muirfield Village and The Concession. His 192-yard approach has just plummeted into the front greenside bunker, however.

Eagle for Bryson DeChambeau! It’s been a quiet day for the 2020 US Open champion but he’s just holed a 51-yard pitch for a three at the par-five 7th. He’s now -2 with two holes to play.

It’s been an electric start to the year’s second major. Scott’s work on the early wave has been akin to standing on a motorway bridge, frantically scribbling the registration plates of every passing vehicle. So thank you, Scott, you deserve a lie down. And hello all - here’s hoping for more of the same with the afternoon starters.

Time to hand over the reins of this hole-by-hole blog to the one and only Matt Cooper. He’ll take it home, and I’ll see you again tomorrow afternoon. Here’s how the top of the leaderboard looks right now, with the second wave – including the world number-one Scottie Scheffler – ready to start their bid.

-9: Schauffele (F)
-6: Finau (16*)
-5: McIlroy (F), MacIntyre (17)
-4: Kohles (F), Koepka (17*), Theegala (16*)

Rory McIlroy talks to Sky. “I rode my luck a little bit [on 1] … I took advantage of my ball not being in the sand [at 6] … I hope I drive it a little bit better, like Rory 2014 … fairway woods were OK … if I can put the ball on the fairway a bit more … my game in terms of putting, scrambling and iron play is coming together … if I can do all that the way I have been, and just hit a few more fairways with the driver, I’m feeling pretty good.”

Brooks Koepka is making a move all right! He drains a monster across 8 and all of a sudden he’s right in the mix at -4.

Tiger speaks to Sky. “It was a grind … I struggled with the speed of the greens … I should have been under par but ended over par … we’ve got a long way to go … it’s a big-boy course now … it’s a lot bigger or maybe I’ve just gotten shorter!”

Another big eagle, this time on 18, as Adam Hadwin turns an average round into a fine opening 68 in one fell swoop. He’s -3.

The defending champion Brooks Koepka creams his second at the par-five 7th from 211 yards to a couple of feet, and tidies up for his eagle. He’s -3 and he’s successfully defended this championship before.

Some Jean van de Veldeian capers for Cameron Smith down the par-five 7th. He sends his drive into shallow water, so takes off his shoes and socks, rolls up his breeks, and batters his second back out onto the fairway. All good knockabout fun, and well worth it too, as he escapes the hole with a par. He remains at -3.

Xander Schauffele, PGA Championship record breaker, speaks to Sky Sports. “It’s just a great start … I still have three more rounds to play … we got put on the clock and I just got in a rhythm … nobody ahead of us and I got the ball rolling … I’ve cleaned up a lot of action in my swing, which has been very helpful.”

Another careless three-putt bogey for Tiger Woods, this time at 9. Very avoidable errors, back to back, and he’s signing for a one-over 72.

Two putts for Rory on 8. The first never reaching, but it had enough pace for the second to be a formality. He remains at -5.

A really fine fighting par for Tony Finau at 5. Having sent his drive into thick filth down the right, he powers his ball out to the front of the green. Imagine the strength; Cameron Smith was only able to hack out from a similar spot. His long first putt isn’t great, but he rolls in the eight-footer he leaves himself and that keeps him three off the lead at -6. Meanwhile up on 8, Rory McIlroy – who converted his birdie at 7, his third in a row – finds the heart of the green and will have a look from 20 feet to make it four.

-9: Schauffele (F)
-6: Finau (14*)
-5: McIlroy (16*), MacIntyre (15)
-4: Kohles (F)
-3: Smith (15*), Homa (14*), Spieth (14*), Theegala (14*)

A really clumsy three-putt bogey for Tiger on 8. A 40-foot birdie effort sent sailing 12 feet past. He can’t make the one coming back, and there goes the shot he’d just picked up at 7. He’s back to level par. Meanwhile on the par-five 7th, Rory McIlroy gently clips his third to a couple of feet, and will surely be moving to -5 shortly.

Xander Schauffele sends his second into 9 from 137 yards. He yelps in mild irritation as he can only find the heart of the green. It’s hardly a disaster, as he’ll have two putts from 30 feet for a round of 62, but he’ll still be dreaming of a record-breaking 61. So in that respect, it’s not ideal. Big putt coming up!

Xander Schauffele clips a 3-wood down the centre of 18. Up on the green, a birdie for Ben Kohles, who signs for a superb 67; not a bad start to his PGA Championship career, huh? He’s -4. Meanwhile up on 5, Max Homa sends a tramliner into the cup from 40 feet. It’s his third birdie in a row, and suddenly he’s right amongst it as well. To repeat, reiterate and ram home: it is all happening.

-9: Schauffele (17*)
-6: Finau (13*)
-5: MacIntyre (15)
-4: Kohles (F), McIlroy (15*), Homa (14*)
-3: Kaymer (16), Smith (14*), Spieth (13*), Theegala (13*)

Eagle-eyed leaderboard enthusiasts will have spotted the absence of Cameron Smith at -4. That’s because he couldn’t scramble his par on 5. Meanwhile birdie for Tiger at 7 and he’s back into the red. And back on 4, Tony Finau isn’t far away from holing out with his second, but birdie will be more than sufficient and he takes sole ownership of second spot at -6. It is all happening.

Rory McIlroy takes advantage of a big stroke of luck at 6. His second should by rights drop into a bunker to the left of the green, but instead somehow sticks on a little inlet of turf at the top. He’s left with a very inviting chip … which he carefully clips in for birdie! He’s now -4 and what a turnaround this is. Meanwhile on 8, Xander Schauffele gets his relief from the drain cover, then clips a wedge up the swale to a couple of feet. He tidies up for a par. One more, and he’ll be signing for a 62. The dream, of course, is birdie. God speed, Xander.

-9: Schauffele (17*)
-5: MacIntyre (14), Finau (12*)
-4: McIlroy (15*)

Hats off to Michael Block, last year’s fairytale, who began his round today with a horror-show bogey/quadruple-bogey whammy. He made it round the following 16 holes in level par, and ends the day at +5, signing for a 76. That’s some effort after such a confidence-sapping start!

Xander Schauffele makes perhaps his first mistake of the day at the par-three 8th. He takes one club too many and his ball, while landing on the green, disappears over the back. It rests in a drain cover, from which he’ll get relief. But it’ll be a test to get up and down from there, even if he can take putter to it. A reminder: a par-par finish will give him a PGA Championship record round of 62, and equal the men’s major record he already jointly holds. But what he’d give for another birdie and a record-book-rewriting 61!

Xander Schauffele leaves his lengthy eagle putt a couple of feet short. Fine judgement from 55 feet. In goes the birdie putt, and he’s two pars away from the second major-championship 62 of his career! Hatton meanwhile does indeed make his birdie two at 3. He’s -1. But some trouble for Cameron Smith down 5. He sends his tee shot into knee-high rough, and can only gouge back out into the fairway. He’ll need to get up and down from distance to remain in sole ownership of fourth place.

-9: Schauffele (16*)
-5: MacIntyre (13), Finau (12*)
-4: Smith (13*)

Tyrrell Hatton is this close to a hole-in-one at 3. An iron lashed straight at the flag, his ball rolling along the right-hand lip but stubbornly staying out. Unless he does something very twitchy with his putter, he’ll be moving to -1 shortly.

Another birdie for Cameron Smith, this time at 4. The 2022 Open champion firmly in the mix. And a big chance for Rory McIlroy at the 5th, after sending his second to six feet. He rolls it in without fuss but with great confidence, and that mid-round flounder seems a long time ago now. Smith is now alone in fourth at -4, while McIlroy joins the pack tied for fifth at -3.

Xander Schauffele sends his second at 7 over the water from 240 yards and into the front of the green. He’ll have a very long look at eagle. Meanwhile Max Homa is inches away from an ace on the par-three 3rd, but he’s happy enough to tap in from 18 inches for a birdie that brings him back into the red at -1.

The 2010 champion Martin Kaymer’s approach at 15 only just squeaks over the water … but it turns out to be perfect. Pin high, four feet from the flag. In goes the birdie, his third in six holes, and having recovered from a long-term wrist injury, well, what a story this could be. He’s not made the cut at a major since the 2021 US Open; he’s not made the top ten at one since the 2016 PGA. He’s still only 39, and well, you never know. He’s -3.

-8: Schauffele (15*)
-5: MacIntyre (13), Finau (10*)
-3: Kohles (16), Kaymer (15), Smith (12*), Matsuyama (12*), Spieth (11*), Theegala (10*), Moore (9)

Cameron Smith is going along nicely. A third birdie of the day, this one at 3, and he’s up to -3 with a blemish-free card. Back on 2, Jordan Spieth gets up and down elegantly from a deep bunker to remain at -3. Par for Rory McIlroy on 4 to stay at -2. And on the par-five 7th, which offers a choice of routes to the green, Xander Schauffele goes for the smaller fairway on the left. He finds it, and will have a shorter second shot in. A man in complete control of his game at the moment.

Schauffele had taken no liberties on the notoriously difficult 6th, happy just to get on the putting surface, not taking aim at the flag. Even so, he nearly drains the 50-footer for birdie. He taps in for par, on a hole named Long Shot, which according to the official literature “refers not to distance but one’s chance of making a par”. Nothing beyond Xander right now. He remains at -8.

Another birdie for Bob MacIntyre! This one at 12, and what a leaderboard – now also featuring Ben Kohles, making his tournament debut at the age of 34 - we have here!

-8: Schauffele (14*)
-5: MacIntyre (12), Finau (9*)
-3: Kohles (15), Spieth (10*), Moore (9)

At the risk of tempting fate, and the ire of the golfing gods, we’re going to have to talk about this. Xander Schauffele has four holes left to play. If he pars his way home, he’ll be signing for a 63, which would equal the tournament record jointly held by (deep breath) Bruce Crampton, Ray Floyd, Gary Player, Vijay Singh, Michael Bradley, Brad Faxon, Jose Maria Olazabal, Mark O’Meara, Thomas Bjorn, Tiger Woods, Steve Stricker, Jason Dufner, Hiroshi Iwata, Robert Streb, Brooks Koepka (twice), Charl Schwartzel and Bubba Watson. One more birdie, and it’ll be a 62 that’d tie the men’s major-championship record co-held by Branden Grace, Rickie Fowler and Schauffele himself. Two more birdies, and it’s new ground with a 61. Anyway, he’s on the long par-four 6th in regulation, so we’ve not spoilt everyone’s fun yet.

Make that three. Xander Schauffele is a machine. He sends his second at 5 to eight feet, and forensically guides the putt into the centre of the cup. It was never missing. This is an absolute clinic.

-8: Schauffele (14*)
-5: Finau (9*)

McIlroy rattles in his par putt. He’s not bringing his best stuff at the moment, but he’s battled through a difficult few holes with minimal damage, and come out the other end at -2. He could do with finding a couple of fairways going forward. Meanwhile at 18, Tony Finau leaves himself short when chipping out from greenside sand, but he rolls in the ten-footer that remains, and the birdie means he’s turning in 31 strokes. The equal of Xander Schauffele, who he trails by a couple.

-7: Schauffele (13*)
-5: Finau (9*)

Sahith Theegala rakes a monster across 18 for birdie. He’s turning in 34. Meanwhile Rory McIlroy can only hack out from the thick rough down the left of 2. He leaves himself a tricky chip from 35 yards over a bunker, with not much in the way of green to play with. A delicate lob sends his ball rolling to four feet, and he’ll have a great opportunity to escape with par.

Bob MacIntyre sends his tee shot at the par-three 11th over the flag to ten feet, and tickles in the gentle left-to-right downhill slider for another birdie. This is a magnificent performance by Scotland’s finest. Elsewhere, birdie for Tiger at 4 to return the great man to level par, while defending champ Brooks Koepka birdies 18 to move into the red.

-7: Schauffele (13*)
-4: MacIntyre (11), Finau (8*)
-3: Spieth (9*), Moore (8)

Jordan Spieth bounces back from that careless bogey on 18 with birdie at 18. He turns in 33. Meanwhile it’s back-to-back birdies for Ludvig Aberg, who repairs much of the damage inflicted by that slow start. He’s just +1 now.

Rory’s driver is misbehaving, though, and his tee shot at 2 disappears down a bank to the left of the fairway. Meanwhile Schauffele continues to have the time of his life, battering a 330-yard drive down the short par-four 4th, then chipping up to kick-in distance. He’s -7!

McIlroy walks in his birdie putt on 1, and that’s a birdie out of nowhere! Having scrambled his par on 18, that’s a passage of play that’ll give him a welcome confidence boost after a few shaky holes. He’s back to -2. Meanwhile Taylor Moore drains a long putt on 7 for his third birdie of the day so far to move to -3.

“Nah, nah, nah, this guy should be locked up!” Sky colour man Wayne Riley on Rory McIlroy, who having sent his tee shot into thick rough down the right of 1, leaving himself with an awkward lie, the ball well above his feet, lashes an iron from 165 yards straight at the flagstick. Clatter! The ball deflects pin high, six yards away, and he’ll have a great look at birdie. He’d have been merely happy to save par, so tricky was the lie, and his broad smile reflects that. No ambivalence this time!

Stephan Jaeger is a man in form. He’s the guy who pipped Scottie Scheffler at the Houston Open back in March, the only tournament the world number one has failed to win in his last five starts. The 34-year-old from Munich has since had three decent finishes on Tour – T18, T20, T21 – and was going along very nicely this morning, cancelling out an early bogey at 11 with birdies at 15, 17, 1 and 2 … but he’s just three-putted 4 to drop back to -2. A dropped shot for Doug Ghim as well, at 5, and suddenly the top of the leaderboard has thinned out a bit.

-6: Schauffele (11*)
-4: Finau (7*)
-3: MacIntyre (9)

Rory makes his par putt! That’ll make him feel a whole lot better about himself. He remains at -1 having played the back nine in 35 strokes. Bogey for Jordan Spieth at 17, the result of quitting on a chip coming up the bank; he’s -2. In the meantime, Schauffele rattles his birdie putt into the cup with absurd confidence, the ball battering the back of the cup and dropping with a satisfying death rattle. He’s two clear!

-6: Schauffele (11*)
-4: Finau (7*)
-3: Ghim (13*), Jaeger (12*), MacIntyre (9)

Corrections and clarifications dept. Rory isn’t wedging in from 100 yards. It’s 99. Many apologies. He screeches his fourth shot pin high, spinning it back a little, and will have a look at saving his par from seven feet or so. As he trudges up to the green, it’s hard to work out whether he’s wearing a look of relief at having a chance to escape, or irritation at having got into so much trouble. A study in ambivalence, let’s settle on that.

McIlroy can only whip back out with a 7-iron. He finds the fairway but he’ll need to get up and down from 100 yards if he’s not to card back-to-back bogeys. How quickly things can spin out of control. Meanwhile up on 2, Schauffele is making things look absurdly easy, clacking his approach to five feet. As Rory battles, Xander will have another great look at birdie!

McIlroy tiptoes around the waterfalls as he works out where his ball entered the hazard. Eventually he drops but he’ll surely not be able to take a shy at the green with his third stroke, so par will be some result from here after all. Just as well this didn’t happen with darkness descending a decade ago.

Rory McIlroy is beginning to get a little ragged. When he won here in the gloaming in 2014, he nearly found the water down the right of the hole. Well, this time he’s gone in. It’s a par five, so escaping without dropping a shot is still very possible, but it’s a job of work now, and he’d have fancied himself for a bounceback birdie, so these are testing times for McIlroy all of a sudden.

Xander Schauffele’s drive at 1 finds rough down the right, and his second sails into a big bunker to the left of the green. The calmest of up and downs secures his par. And it’s a fine street-fighting par for Jordan Spieth on 16, as he chips up from the back of the green, 90 feet to six, and knocks in the putt. They remain at -5 and -3 respectively.

Disappointment for Tiger on 18. Two big hits to reach the fringe, but a weak chip up costs him the opportunity of birdie and chance to hit the turn in level par. Disappointment also for Rory back on 17, as he’s unable to get up and down from greenside sand for two holes in a row. He slips back to -1, and a fast start suddenly looks average with Schauffele and Finau going gangbusters.

Bob MacIntyre had a birdie putt lip out on 6. He hasn’t let it affect him. He sends his approach at 7 over the flag to four feet, and mops up without fuss. Meanwhile a third birdie on the bounce for Tony Finau, the latest at 15, and he moves to -4. And also heading in the right direction, Viktor Hovland, who responds to that dropped stroke at 14 with birdie at 16. He rejoins the group at -3.

-5: Schauffele (9*)
-4: Finau (6*)
-3: Ghim (12*), MacIntyre (7), Hovland (7*), Spieth (6*), Finau (5*), Burmester (4*)
-2: Donald (11), Herbert (11*), Fox (10), Jaeger (10*), Hisatsune (9), McIlroy (7*), Matsuyama (6*), Hatton (5*), Moore (4)

Xander Schauffele has been working on his putting after last weekend’s malfunctions. The effort has been worth it. He walks in yet another birdie putt, this time at the par-five 18th, and he’s played the back nine flawlessly, taking just 31 strokes. All of a sudden, a little daylight at the top of the leaderboard.

-5: Schauffele (9*)
-3: Ghim (12*), Spieth (6*), Finau (5*), Burmester (4*)

The big-hitting Dean Burmester will fancy his chances around Valhalla. He’s flown out of the traps, too, having just made his third birdie in four holes at 13. The best of the bunch came at the par-three 11th, bundling in a chip from the side of a bank.

-4: Schauffele (8*)
-3: Ghim (11*), Spieth (6*), Finau (5*), Burmester (4*)

Max Homa holes out from greenside sand at 16, and that’s his third birdie in four holes! He’s -2, having dropped a stroke at 11. Meanwhile on 2, Doug Ghim makes a big par saver from the fringe to remain at -3. Rory saves the day too, getting up and down from sand at 16; he’s still -2. And back-to-back par saves from ten feet, at 16 and 17, for Tiger, who is hanging on at +1.

Tony Finau makes the first birdie at 14 today! He knocks his tee shot at the 257-yard par-three to five feet, and rolls in the putt. That follows birdies at 10 and 13, and the genial giant moves to -3. Ten top-ten finishes in the majors without ever getting really close. It’s about time?

One of the pre-tournament favourites is having a difficult day. Ludvig Aberg has bogeyed 14 and 16 to drop off the pace at +2. To be fair, it’s his PGA debut and only his second start in a major. But that runner-up spot at Augusta ensured expectation would be high. A decent start for Tommy Fleetwood, meanwhile, as he birdies 13 to move into the red.

Some bother for Doug Ghim on 2. He finds sand front and right of the green, and though his splash out nearly hits the flagstick, the ball rolls 15 feet past. And a wee bit of trouble for Rory McIlroy on 16, as his drive finds semi-rough down the right; blocked out by overhanging branches, his second dunks into the sand front and left. A big putt for Ghim and a big up-and-down for Rory coming up.

A farcical double bogey for Dustin Johnson on 15. He yanks a wild tee shot deep into trouble down the left, and requires two shots to get back out of the trees and onto the fairway. The subsequent approach is decent; the bogey putt from 15 feet is not. He’s +3, and hasn’t been the same since his LIV defection. A no-fuss par for his playing partner Rory McIlroy, who remains at -2.

-4: Schauffele (7*)
-3: Ghim (10*), Spieth (5*)

The long par-three 14th – 254 yards! – is causing quite a few problems today. It’s currently playing to an average of 3.67. No birdies yet. Seven pars. Ten bogeys. Hideki Matsuyama manages to get up and down from sand; Viktor Hovland, from a similar position, cannot. Both are now -2.

Xander Schauffele keeps on keepin’ on. He sends his second at 16 from the best part of 200 yards to seven feet. In goes the putt, and this is some way to get over the frustrations of last week’s Wells Fargo. He’s out on his own at -4.

Doug Ghim sends his second at the par-five 18th over the back, then carefully bundles the chip up to three feet. He tidies up for birdie, turns in 33, and joins Xander Schauffele, Viktor Hovland and Jordan Spieth in the lead at -3. Meanwhile bogey for Tiger at 15 drops him back to +1.

You’ll have noticed Tyrrell Hatton’s name popping up on the leaderboard. That’s the result of his draining a monster birdie putt from the fringe at 12. Meanwhile a cool up-and-down from the side of the par-three 14th by Rory McIlroy, who does well to dink a delicate chip from thick rough to five feet, then confidently rolls in the par saver. His short game, something that’s let him down so often in the big championships, looks in decent nick right now. Field watch out if he can keep it all together.

They’re pouring in now. Xander Schauffele strokes in his third birdie of the day from 20 feet on 15. Meanwhile back on 13, Jordan Spieth’s unexpected hot streak continues apace, as he screeches his wedge from 100 yards to a couple of feet. In goes the putt, and this is quite the leading group, when you consider Schauffele is coming off the disappointment of being blown away by Rory last weekend, Hovland is piecing together his game after needlessly buggering around with his swing, and Spieth has been way off the boil for a while. Great to see them all back! This is fun.

-3: Schauffele (6*), Hovland (4*), Spieth (4*)
-2: Ghim (8*), McIlroy (4*), Matsuyama (4*), MacIntyre (4), Hatton (3*)

Another birdie for Bob MacIntyre, who dribbles in a 15-footer on 4 to join the leaders at -2. But he’s not in a share of the lead for long. Doug Ghim should move to -3 but misses a five-footer on 17 and has to settle for par. But Viktor Hovland, who has reunited with his old swing coach having made some questionable changes earlier in the season, makes it three birdies in his first four holes, at 13, and this championship is beginning to bubble up nicely. We’re only a couple of hours in!

-3: Hovland (4*)
-2: Ghim (8*), Schauffele (5*), McIlroy (4*), Matsuyama (4*), MacIntyre (4), Spieth (3*), Theegala (2*)

Sahith Theegala is going around today with Tyrrell Hatton … who replicates his partner’s wedge heroics from the back of 11! He’s -1. Meanwhile career-slam-chasing Jordan Spieth cracks a big drive down 12, then lands his second from 185 yards to ten feet, before stroking in the birdie putt. He joins the ever-expanding group at -2, and this PGA Championship is already brimming with promise.

Rory McIlroy appears to have taken last week’s form into this one. He wedges from 100 yards to ten feet at 13, and joins the chaps in the lead at -2. As does Sahith Theegala, who follows up an opening birdie at 10 with an outrageous one at the par-three 11th. Over the back and down a hill smothered in thick rough, the extremely popular Californian whips high into the air, landing his ball softly on the green above and sending it rolling straight into the cup. That’s sensational. This week’s winner will have to work some magic around the greens with their wedges; McIlroy and Theegala already have it all going on!

-2: Ghim (7*), Schauffele (4*), McIlroy (4*), Hovland (3*), Theegala (2*)

Hideki Matsuyama pours one in from distance at 12, and the 2021 Masters champion moves into the red. Meanwhile an absurd up and down by Matt Wallace on 6. He’s over the back of the green in two, the rough halfway up to his knees. He requires his caddie to help him find the ball. All he can do is gouge out, and he does exceptionally well to hold his ball on the green, 40 feet from the hole. Then in goes the lengthy par saver! He remains -1, a shot off the lead now also shared by Viktor Hovland, who makes a 20-footer on 12.

-2: Ghim (7*), Schauffele (4*), Hovland (3*)

Having scrambled his par on 12, Tiger follows up by ramming home a 15-foot birdie putt on 13. He’s back on terms at level par. And some fine scrambling from Doug Ghim on the monster par-four 16th, playing at 503 yards today. He nearly holes out from off the front, a crisp chip from 55 feet to five inches. He remains at -2 alongside Xander Schauffele.

There were no Scottish players at the Masters last month. But Bob MacIntyre is here to represent the old country this week, and the 27-year-old from Oban has started well, with birdie at the long par-four 2nd. He’s -1, alongside the 2022 Open champion Cameron Smith, who picks up his first stroke of the week at 11.

Xander Schauffele has bounced back as well, from disappointment at Quail Hollow last Sunday, when he was left in Rory McIlroy’s dust. Birdie at 11 and now another at 13, the latest the reward for a fine wedge landed pin high and spun back to 12 feet, leaving an uphill putt that’s drained with supreme confidence. He joins Doug Ghim in the lead at -2.

A huge roar on 12 as Tiger rolls in a straight 25-footer. But it’s just to save his par. The 1999, 2000, 2006 and 2007 winner remains at +1. Meanwhile the man looking to join him on the career-slam roll of honour, Jordan Spieth, crashes his second at 10 into the heart of the green, then nearly drains his 30-foot eagle effort. An opening birdie will suffice. And it’s a bounce-back birdie for Doug Ghim at 15, who grabs back sole ownership of the early lead at -2.

-2: Ghim (6*)
-1: Donald (6), Wallace (4), Schauffele (3*), Hadwin (3), McIlroy (2*), Hovland (1*), Spieth (1*)

Opening birdie for Viktor Hovland at 10. Last year’s runner-up – the Norwegian was in contention until plugging his ball in the face of a fairway bunker at 16 – has himself a share of the lead, with Doug Ghim missing the green at the par-three 14th and dropping his first shot of the day. Meanwhile a fine up and down by Rory from the side of 11. An early sign that his newly rediscovered confidence with his occasionally recalcitrant wedge is not misplaced.

-1: Donald (5), Ghim (5*), Wallace (4), Schauffele (3*), Hadwin (2), McIlroy (2*), Hovland (1*)

Jordan Spieth is looking to complete the career slam this week. Only five players have previously managed to collect the full set: Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods. If Spieth’s to become the sixth member of this exclusive club, he’ll need to up his game this week, having missed the cut at both the Players and Masters. The 2015 Masters, 2015 US Open and 2017 Open champion starts well by cracking his opening drive down the middle of the 10th fairway.

Tiger’s tee shot at the par-three 11th is long and to the right. He can’t get anywhere close with his wedge out of the thick cabbage, and drops to +1. Meanwhile a slow start for another former champion, Shaun Micheel. Three bogeys in the opening five holes and the 2003 winner (and 2006 runner-up) is +3 in short order.

Another birdie for Doug Ghim! He rattles in a 30-footer across 13 and the 28-year-old from Illinois, making his PGA debut this week, hits the front of his own. That’s because Luke Donald visits a native area down the left side of 5, and ends up looking at a 60-footer to save his par. He does pretty well to limit the damage to bogey. But up on 10, the in-form Rory McIlroy opens with birdie, that aforementioned loose tee shot worrying him not one jot.

-2: Ghim (4*)
-1: Donald (5), Schauffele (2*), Kaymer (2), McIlroy (1)

An opening par for Tiger Woods at 10. He looks slightly disappointed, having gotten a bit too aggressive with a six-foot birdie effort, the pace cancelling out the right-to-left break. Meanwhile back down the hole – named after the famous racehorse Secretariat – another thoroughbred, Rory McIlroy, sends his first shot of the week into rough down the left.

It was a misty morning in Louisville, Kentucky. Like the clouds above the storm just had to cry. But that’s clearing up now, and the weather is expected to be fine and dandy for the rest of the day. There is some rain expected tomorrow, mind, which if nothing else should ensure the course doesn’t get too firm and out of hand over the entire piece. Meanwhile Matt Wallace has made his bounce-back birdie at 3, and he joins Doug Ghim in second spot at -1.

Another birdie for Luke Donald! He knocks his second at 4 to three feet, and tidies up to move to -2. Bogey for Matt Wallace at 2, though … but he’ll be moving back into red figures soon enough, as he’s just swished his tee shot at the par-three 3rd to a couple of feet.

-2: Donald (4)
-1: Ghim (3*)

Ludvig Aberg’s first hole in a PGA Championship should have ended with birdie. He sends his approach at the par-five 10th to eight feet. But he misreads what looks like a fairly simple putt and his ball dies away on the low side. No damage done, though, and he moves on with par.

Only one Englishman has ever won the PGA … and that happened a long time ago. Jim Barnes was the inaugural winner back in 1916, and he followed that up with a second victory in 1919. Since then, nothing. Zilch. Nix. Nada. In fact, there have only been three other European winners in the entire history of the competition: Padraig Harrington (2008), Martin Kaymer (2010) and Rory McIlroy (2012 and 2014). But along with the aforementioned Luke Donald, the English charge is ON! Matt Wallace rolls in a 20-footer on 1 to join his compatriot at the top of the leaderboard, for what that’s worth after less than an hour of play. But it’s something, and you’ve got to start chipping away at history from somewhere.

-1: Donald (3), Ghim (2*), Wallace (1)
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+5: Block (3)

The first shot of this year’s tournament was hit by Michael Block. You’ll remember the California club pro’s antics last year, when at the age of 46 he shot 70 in the third round, then made a hole-in-one with Rory McIlroy standing next to him on Sunday. He finished the week in a tie for 15th, as sensational a story as LIV returnee Brooks Koepka winning the whole thing. Fairytale-infused lightning doesn’t look like striking twice, sadly. Block sent his opening drive into the rough en route to bogey, and has followed that up with a disastrous quadruple-bogey eight on the 2nd, after a short-game zig-zaggy meltdown around the green. He’s +5 already, and a year’s a long time in major-championship golf.

Here we go, then … and the first birdie of the week has been made by one of golf’s nearly men. If you can call a former world number one a nearly man, of course. All hail Luke Donald, who drains a 25-footer on the 1st to become the first player to move into red figures this week. Europe’s current Ryder Cup captain jointly led this tournament after 54 holes at Medinah in 2006 … but on the Sunday, he slipped to a two-over 74 while eventual winner Tiger Woods carded 68. Donald’s tie for third remains his best-ever finish at a major; he also tied for third at the Masters in 2005, though arguably came closest to winning a major when eventually tying for fourth at Augusta six years later. Could this be the time for the 46-year-old to finally make the breakthrough we always thought he would, but never did? Well, almost certainly not. But it’d be lovely, wouldn’t it? We’re allowed to dream.